Focus To-Do vs Focused Work
We give Focus To-Do and Focused Work the same GPA: 3.4 out of 4.0. Focus To-Do grades higher on platforms. Focused Work grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Focus To-Do
Pomodoro timer combined with a task list and time reports
Focused Work
Focus timer with custom sessions for iPhone, iPad and Mac
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAFocus To-DoVery good | 3.4GPAFocused WorkVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPremium is $3.99 for 3 months, or $11.99 once for a lifetime, on the US App Store. That's cheap next to most focus apps. But the listings don't say what Premium unlocks, so we can't weigh the price against anything, and that keeps it at a B. | APro is $29.99 a year on the US App Store, or $4.99 a month. Paid yearly, that's about half what a typical focus app costs, and it includes the blocker. Lifetime is $89.99, so the yearly plan is the one to look at. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree to download and use, with or without an account. But the store listings don't say which features are kept for Premium, so we can't tell you where the free version stops. | BIt's free to download and the free version doesn't run out. But the vendor's terms only call it limited and never list what's in it. What we do know is that blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link are Pro. |
| Features | AAn adjustable Pomodoro timer, plus tasks with due dates, repeats, reminders, subtasks and priorities. Reports break your time down by day, week, month and project, with a Gantt chart and a calendar view. White noise can play while you work. | ASessions built from Focus, Break and Prepare stages, with Pomodoro and Flowmodoro templates or your own. Add reminders, daily goals, charts for the week, month and year, CSV export and, in Pro, app and website blocking. That's the whole job. |
| Ease of use | A4.8 from about 14,600 App Store ratings. You can start without making an account, and an alarm tells you when each round ends. | A4.7 from about 600 App Store ratings. There's no account to register, and your stats and sessions sync through iCloud without you doing anything. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, Mac, Windows and a Chrome extension, with lists and focus records synced between them. No web app or Linux version is listed, and no integrations. | CiPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro, with hooks into Shortcuts, Siri, Alfred and Toggl Track. All Apple, though. No Windows, Android or web version is listed. |
| Best for | a Pomodoro timer and a to-do list in one app | building your own focus sessions on Apple devices |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Focus To-Do and Focused Work. How we grade
Where they differ
- Focus To-Do starts at $1.99 (period not shown), $3.99 / 3 months or $11.99 lifetime (US App Store). Focused Work starts at $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store).
- Only Focus To-Do lists Android and Windows apps.
- Only Focus To-Do lists a browser extension.
- Focus To-Do also covers tasks.
- Focused Work also covers site & app blocker.
At a glance
| Focus To-Do | Focused Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $1.99 (period not shown), $3.99 / 3 months or $11.99 lifetime (US App Store) | $4.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store) |
| Free plan | Free to download and use with in-app purchases for Premium. The store listings do not say which features are limited to Premium. | Free version with limited features, which the terms do not list. The vendor's FAQ marks content filtering, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link as Pro. |
| Free trial | None listed | The terms refer to a free trial of Pro; no length is stated |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Shenzhen Tomato Software Technology Co., Ltd. | Michael Tigas |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Focus To-Do
- People who want a Pomodoro timer and a to-do list in one app
- Students and workers tracking focus time per task or project
- Using the same task list on phone, tablet, watch and computer
Focused Work
- Apple users who want structured focus sessions, not only a countdown
- People who find a fixed Pomodoro rhythm too rigid
- Toggl Track users who want focus sessions logged as time entries
- Students and professionals who want reminders to stay on task
Worth knowing
Focus To-Do
- The store listings do not say which features need Premium, so the limits of the free version could not be confirmed.
- The Focus To-Do Premium purchase carries no billing period on the US App Store and is listed at $1.99 for iOS and $3.99 for Mac.
- Prices appear only in the app stores; the vendor's site lists downloads but has no pricing page.
- The Windows version is a direct download from the vendor's site, and no web app or Linux version is listed.
Focused Work
- Apple platforms only: iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. No Windows, Android or web version is listed.
- App and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link all need Focused Work Pro.
- Lifetime pricing differs between vendor pages: $89.99 and $119.99 on the US App Store, and $59.99 in the press kit.
- The Toggl link logs completed stages afterwards; the FAQ says it does not start a live running timer in Toggl.
Key features
Focus To-Do
- Pomodoro timer
- Pomodoro and break lengths are adjustable, with short and long breaks, pause and resume, a skip-break option, a continuous mode and a warning before a session ends.
- Tasks and projects
- Tasks take due dates, recurring schedules, reminders, subtasks, color-coded priorities, notes and an estimated number of pomodoros.
- Reports
- Statistics cover total focus time, completed to-dos and time per project, with trend charts, a Gantt chart of focus time and a calendar view.
- Sync across devices
- Lists and focus records sync between phone and computer; the listings name iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, Android and Windows.
- White noise and alarms
- A choice of white noise can play during a session, and an alarm or vibration marks the end of each pomodoro.
- Forest and App Whitelist
- The Android listing adds a Forest view, where focused time grows a plant, and an App Whitelist that limits which apps can be used while focusing.
Focused Work
- Focus Sessions
- Sessions divide time into Focus, Break and Prepare stages. Templates cover a plain timer, Pomodoro and Flowmodoro, and the Session Editor builds repeatable sessions with your own stages and durations.
- App and website blocking
- Content filters block or allow chosen websites and iOS and Mac apps while a session runs, and can leave Break and planning stages unfiltered. This is a Pro feature.
- Reminders, reflection and Scratch Pad
- The app sends reminders to stay on task and to take breaks, asks you to rate and reflect on a finished session, and keeps a Scratch Pad for stray thoughts.
- Daily goals and statistics
- Meeting the daily focus goals builds a streak. Charts review the past week, month and year, and completed sessions can be exported as a CSV file.
- Shortcuts and Toggl Track
- With Pro, shortcuts run when a session or stage starts or ends, for example to turn on a Focus mode, and finished stages are logged to Toggl Track with projects and tags.
- Widgets, Live Activities and iCloud
- The timer shows in interactive widgets, Live Activities, StandBy and Picture-in-Picture. Statistics and created sessions sync through iCloud, with no account to register.
Plans
Focus To-Do
Free$0
The app as downloaded, with or without an account. The listings do not spell out where the free version stops.
Focus To-Do Premium$1.99
billing period not shown on the US App Store listing
An in-app purchase listed with no period at $1.99 for the iPhone and iPad app and at $3.99 for the Mac app.
3 Months$3.99
per 3 months, US App Store in-app purchase
Premium for three months, listed at the same price for the iOS and Mac apps.
Lifetime$11.99
one-time purchase, US App Store in-app purchase
Premium for a single payment, listed at the same price for the iOS and Mac apps.
Focused Work
Free$0
Free to download with a limited set of features. Blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link are marked as Pro in the vendor's FAQ.
Focused Work Pro - Monthly$4.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Every feature, including app and website blocking, Shortcuts automation and the Toggl Track link. Renews automatically.
Focused Work Pro - Yearly$29.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same Pro features billed yearly. The listing also shows 1-year items at $19.99 and $39.99 and 1-month items at $2.99 and $6.99.
Focused Work Pro Lifetime$89.99
one-time purchase, US App Store
Pro for a single payment. The listing shows a second Lifetime item at $119.99, and the vendor's press kit quotes $59.99.
Ways to pay less
Focus To-Do
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Premium for a one-time payment
The US App Store lists a Lifetime in-app purchase at $11.99 for both the iOS and Mac apps, against $3.99 for 3 months.
Focused Work
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro costs about 50% less than monthly
The US App Store lists Focused Work Pro - Yearly at $29.99 against Monthly at $4.99, which comes to $59.88 over twelve months.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Pro for a one-time payment
The US App Store lists Focused Work Pro Lifetime at $89.99, paid once instead of a subscription. The vendor's press kit quotes $59.99 for lifetime access.
- Other savings
Also available through Setapp
The vendor's site links to Focused Work on Setapp, where the Mac and iOS apps are part of the Setapp app subscription.
